David Cameron: US talks with Taliban 'right thing to do'

Speaking at the G8 summit in Lough Erne, Prime Minister David Cameron says the
US talking to the Taliban "involves all sorts of difficulties" but
is "the right thing to do".

6:00PM BST 18 Jun 2013

Mr Cameron said: "I have long argued that we need to match the security response in Afghanistan. with a political process to try and make sure that as many people as possible give up violence and give up armed struggle and join the political process.

"That is exactly what I hope can happen with elements of the Taliban. That is the point of the Taliban office in Qatar. That is the point of the discussions that the Americans will have.

"We have been fully engaged and involved in this process right from the start, indeed from the moment I became Prime Minister.

"I think this is the right thing to do."

Mr Cameron acknowledged that it would be difficult to speak with the Taliban, but drew parallels with the peace process in Northern Ireland itself.

"Of course it involves all sorts of difficulties," he said. "But in the end, we are standing in a place where people who were once committed to violence decided to give up that violence and join the political process, and that is what is required in Afghanistan."

He added: "That shouldn't signal any weakening of our security response - it absolutely doesn't. But if we can persuade people that there is a legitimate political path they can follow, we should do so."